The Green Party has become the first mainstream party in Europe to declare itself openly anti-Zionist after voting in the controversial "Zionism is Racism" motion at its party conference in Brighton, UK, on Sunday, passing the motion 1,022 votes to 813.
Amendment III - which would have protected Jewish people from being expelled if they belong to synagogues that define themselves as Zionist - also failed to pass, with 684 votes in support and 1,026 against.
Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on social media in response to the resolution on Sunday, claiming that the Green Party was "legitimising armed struggle against Israel, and calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea” - meaning the destruction of the State of Israel."
"The resolution constitutes a clear antisemitic text according to the IHRA definition," the Foreign Ministry added, "as it denies the Jewish people’s right to self-determination."
The Green Party previously planned to vote on the motion at its Spring Conference in March; however, multiple no-confidence votes were submitted, creating delays and meaning it was never heard or debated.
The motion recognizes Zionism as Israel’s foundational ideology that has created and maintains an apartheid regime between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
It further affirms the right to self-determination and liberation of the Palestinian people and supports the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital.” This would effectively eradicate the State of Israel.
On Saturday, Zack Polanski told the conference, "We stand with one voice now as we say: 'Drop the charges. End the genocide. Deproscribe Palestine Action.'"
However, according to The Telegraph, Polanski did not vote on the motion, as he was on the campaign trail in north London ahead of Thursday's Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
Polanski, who is Jewish, has nevertheless failed to condemn the motion.
Jewish Greens remain split on motion
The Jewish Greens - a Jewish group within the party - remain split on the Zionism is Racism motion. Ahead of the conference, the group answered a survey about key conference issues.
On a 0–10 scale measuring whether Jewish Greens should collectively oppose the motion, the average was 5.1, indicating an almost exact split. Consequently, Jewish Greens said it will not take an official position on the motion.
Most Jewish Greens (81%) identify as anti-Zionist or non-Zionist. Of the Zionist respondents, 80% of Zionist respondents oppose the Zionism as Racism motion. Interestingly, however, the anti-Zionist Greens were divided on the motion too.
A majority of 70% strongly support de-proscribing Palestine Action, and 64% strongly support Palestinians' right to "resist apartheid, occupation and genocide through all available means within international law.”
Exactly half support criminal prosecution of UK citizens who fight with the Israeli military.
'Safe-rooms' designated for Jews during the conference
Another shocking revelation came when Jewish members of the party told the Mail on Sunday that a designated 'safe-room' has been set aside during the conference for Jewish members who feel they are in danger.
“We have been given a ‘safe room’ for Jewish members to use in an emergency,” a member told the Mail on Sunday.
“It was used on the first day of the conference to host a meeting between a rabbi and some Jewish members. It’s a deeply upsetting situation, but that’s the reality.”
Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, Co-Leads of the Movement for Progressive Judaism, told The Jerusalem Post Sunday that the motion is "antisemitic in its formulation and intention."
"By adopting it, the Green Party has made antisemitism party policy and become a racist party," the two said.
"Jewish self-determination is a right. Declaring it racist is an attack on Jews. The Green Party has chosen to brand Jews who hold this belief as racists and make their equal participation in the party conditional on renouncing it."
Baginsky and Levy said Jews should not have to justify their connections to Israel to be entitled to equal treatment, nor should they have to disown their communities to participate in British politics.
"Support for this motion from some Jewish members does not excuse discrimination against other Jews."
"We stand with Jewish members and our communities. We will challenge this policy and hold the Green Party’s leadership accountable for the discrimination it has endorsed."
Yaakov Hagoel, the Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, told the Post that the Green Party of England and Wales's decision to adopt a resolution defining Zionism as racism is a "shameful, scandalous resolution tainted with severe antisemitism."
"Zionism is the national movement of the Jewish people and expresses its historical, legal, and moral right to self-determination in its homeland. The attempt to portray it as racist is a recycling of modern blood libels and dark UN resolutions (such as Resolution 3379), which have long since been repealed and thrown into the dustbin of history," he said.
Israel's Foreign Ministry said that, with the vote, the Green Party in Britain has "ceased to act as a political party and became a body that gives legitimacy to terrorism."
"The Greens have adopted not only the green of Hamas, but also its ideology: the elimination of the State of Israel through armed struggle."
The shocking resolution adopted today legitimizes armed struggle, calls for a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea” - meaning the destruction of the State of Israel - and labels as “racist” the aspiration of the Jewish people for self-determination.
"Every political party in Britain, first and foremost the governing Labour Party, must unequivocally reject this twisted resolution," the ministry added.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.